Ukraine has barred the Russian contestant, Yuliya Samoilova, from entering the country for three years on the grounds that the 27-year-old “illegally” entered Russian-annexed Crimea to perform at a concert in 2015.

The head of the European Broadcasting Union, Ingrid Deltenre, has informed Ukraine that it was “unacceptable” to ban Ms Samoilova, who has been confined to a wheelchair since childhood as a result of a reaction to a vaccine.

A suggestion by Eurovision that Ms Samoilova could take part via a satellite link was turned down by Russia’s Channel One.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian singer Larisa Dolina sing the National Anthem at a concert marking the one-year anniversary of reunification of the Crimea with Russia in central Moscow, Russia, 18 March 2015Credit: EPA/MAXIM SHIPENKOV

“We find the offer of remote participation odd and refuse it, for it is going absolutely against the very essence of the event,” the Russian state broadcaster said.

Ms Deltenre urged Ukraine to lift its refusal to allow Ms Samoilova to enter its territory, saying it “would certainly have a very big negative impact on Ukraine's international reputation as a modern, democratic European nation.”

The Eurovision song contest is to be held in the Ukrainian capital Kiev on May 13.